SUNDAY VS. MONDAY ROUND 2

SUNDAY:

We are in the midst of moving this weekend so, it was a pleasant surprise that our Sunday as still semi-lazy and filled with good nomz. Though, I did indulged more than usual on sweets, but otherwise it was a pretty healthy day!

Breakfast - around 10am:

Paleo banana pancakes, oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, coffee with organic ½ and ½

Note: neither myself nor my boyfriend are on a paleo diet (hence the oatmeal) but these pancakes are so simple and delicious we make them often. All you do is blend bananas and eggs (1:2) to make the batter and proceed like you would with normal pancakes)

Lunch - around 1:30pm:

The Della Casa salad at a cute little restaurant in downtown. It had eggs, tuna, tomato, corn, (in-house made!) mozzarella and beans. I also had two tiny slices of Mike’s pizza with cheese and smoked prosciutto

After lunch we walked to a nearby gelato place with our good friends Shelby and Conor. Conor and I, both having similar (and the best) taste buds, ordered ½ espresso chip and ½ chocolate hazelnut. Shelby got the best mint chocolate chip gelato I’ve ever tasted  - that wasn’t artificially dyed green (huge bonus!) - it was white, pure, minty, and delicious. Mike tried the malted milk with a root beer. This was also good, as pretty much all gelato is, but too “milky” for my taste.

Mid-moving treat - around 4:

Such scrumptious s’more brownies.

A good friend came to tour the new apartment and brought brownies that her mom made. I planned on only eating half but couldn’t resist and had a whole one.  

Dinner - around 7:30:

We went to the Farmers Market before lunch and picked up organic zucchini, red bell peppers and specialty Polish sausages. We grilled all this up and put on sourdough bread for dinner. Toasting to our hard work moving, we also had sweet tea and lemonade with a fresh lemon slice.

MONDAY:

We will still be moving throughout the week, so we’ll be super busy. I will have to put extra effort into eating healthy and balanced because I know there will be nights when ordering a pizza sounds a lot better than cooking..

Breakfast - around 9:00:

This morning I hit snooze multiple times (standard for a Monday..) so only had time for coffee before leaving… BUT I remembered that I bought chocolate cereal with almonds the day before and needed.to.eat.it. So, I poured some in a Tupperware, some almond milk in another and ate it when I got into work.

Lunch - around 1:00:

Last night I DID NOT want to take time to make my lunch for today but I knew it was important so I sliced spinach, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and cucumbers for a salad today. Paired with olive oil, balsamic, oregano, garlic salt, and lemon pepper, I felt satisfied and healthy. Win-win. (I also had a orange for a sweet treat after instead of choosing a mini-candy bar to balance out my double desserts yesterday.)

Snack - around 4:30:

An apple and a couple handfuls of peanuts

Dinner - around 7:00:

A tiny bowl of organic butternut squash soup with green onions to tide me over until Mike came home to grill the meat

Grilled flank steak, potatoes, and broccoli with Parmesan cheese. Plus a corona and lime.

Note: We usually don’t eat this much red meat (the sausages the night before and the steak tonight) but, as mentioned, we’re moving and I’m trying to use up what we have in the freezer so, steak it was!

Overall, the two days were both pretty healthy. I had a lot of sweets on Sunday but simply balanced it out on Monday and didn’t stress about it. ...Besides, when you’re moving, you deserve gelato and brownies. (And probably cookies, too ...if I had access to them)

Sore baby...

On Thursday evening, I cashed in on my Groupon for 6-weeks of unlimited bootcamp classes and I'm feeling the burn.

This year, I've been pretty good about working out... that was until I landed a full-time job. I flew out east for a week of training the last week of August and haven't been nearly as dedicated to fitness since. Sure, I've done the occasion yoga class here and weight sesh there, but it's not as easy as it was when I was only working part-time. PS. Did I mention I worked at a JCC aka a really nice facility with fancy exercise equipment and a plethora of fitness classes. I used to do pilates every week. On Thursdays. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! Obviously, this is not my life anymore. I'm a working girl; who is thankful and happy to have a full time job but definitely needs to work harder on making time to get.physical.

Cue the Groupon! A co-worker (and friend!) of mine figured paying to get into shape would force us to. Thursday was our first class and we plan to go 2-3x a week until Christmas. If we stay on track, this will be a great way to enter the new year. We will be motivated to maintain, which, for me at least, is far more powerful than motivation to conquer; look at how far I've come compared to look at how far I have to go. 

Based on soreness along, I know the bootcamp was intense. I wish I could detail the 50 minutes spent sweating, panting, and almost puking but I've repressed the memory.

We're going again on Monday and I am praying that my muscles mend by then, so I can move without wanting to cry. (By the way, having to move to a new apartment - that is up 2 flights of stairs - after the first extreme workout you've had in 2 months, is definitely not advised.) I'm hoping with the aid of both my Groupon (already forked out some ca$h money so I have to go...) and my blog (holding me accountable and giving me writing material...) I will be able to crank up my fitness level. ...And maybe one day I'll even be able to do a round of burpees without feeling faint and seeing little tiny stars.

We'll see...!

Love almost always,
Ashley

Sunday vs. Monday Round1

SUNDAY:

I was wrapping up a mini-weekend vacation on Sunday so, though my Sunday eating habits are always a little sporadic, yesterday there were some added splurges.

Breakfast - around 9:30am: 
Glass of OJ and half cup of coffee w/Irish cream

French toast with syrup, berries and side of bacon

12pm:

We stopped for a coffee break on our way home


Lunch - around 1:30pm:

A massive amount of tortilla chips and salsa
Mixed green salad w/raspberry vingerette and (fried) fish tacos (2)

Dinner - around 7pm:

BBQ pulled pork over sweet potato mash and ½ avocado

Snacks - throughout the day:

Mini chocolate biscotti (4 throughout the day)

MONDAY:

Going back to work was already going to be harder than usually this week because of the amazing weekend I had and of course my alarm didn't go off making the start of my day stressful. I woke up at 7:48am - 3 minutes after the time I’m supposed to leave. My morning was extremely rushed but luckily I had packed lunch the night before and thought to grab a packet of oatmeal to make at the office - so I still was able to have a healthy, balanced day.

Breakfast - 8:00am: (in the car, on my way to work)

Banana

9:30am (after I had checked emails, returned phone calls, etc..)

Coffee with a packet of sugar in the raw and organic ½ and ½

Organic oatmeal w/flax seeds

Lunch - around 1:30pm:

Homemade chicken/veggie soup (I made this last night while I was steaming my sweet potatoes.. I simply chopped celery, carrots, and onions and let simmer in veggie broth while boiling chicken breast to shred and add to the broth. Everything is organic and will also be used for lunch tomorrow.)

Late afternoon snack:
Iced coffee w/a splash of 2% and a mini chocolate bar

Pepper overload!

Dinner - around 6:30pm:
Four thin slices of sourdough bread (toasted) with mashed avocado, S&P, and organic sprouts

Dessert:
Almond and pumpkin seed clusters


To recap: Looking back, Sunday might not have been that terrible, but I clearly ate more vegetables on Monday which is always a plus! For me, it is important to plan my meals ahead. This sometimes causes a bit of anxiety, knowing I have 1,000 things to do and still have to think about what I'm going to eat the next day... but I always make better choices when I do so the benefit outweighs.

I'll take my tacos with a side of happy, please.

My boyfriend took me away to celebrate my birthday over the weekend. We stayed at the cutest hotel in Monterey called Hotel 1110. It was seriously one of the best vacations I have had and I know I will be longing to relive it for years to come.

Our welcome toast :)

We had a busy week last week (like every week..) and decided to take a very laid-back approach to the whole weekend. On Friday evening, we had dinner at home to both save money and use up the last of the week's groceries. After we casually packed essentials for the weekend and headed up the coast. We arrived at Hotel 1110 around 10PM and fell in lust. The lobby is decorated in rich golds and luscious reds, with accents of cool blues. It is a family-owned business and quickly became one of my favorite places. Upon arrival, one of the owners checked us in while the bartender poured us welcome champagne. We sipped our bubbly and made our way upstairs to our room, and then up another story to the rooftop deck. The warmth from the heating lamps and the alcohol (we up'd our game and poured rye and gingers) combined with the conversation - the good conservation that is layered and deep but also light with laughter - made for a perfect rooftop night. 

The next morning we woke up and headed downstairs for a home (hotel?) cooked breakfast of poached eggs over roasted tomatoes, sausages, and French bread. We took our time, slowly eating the intimate meal; compared to the less-than-personal standard continental breakfast usually served at hotels. I swooned over my boyfriend, and his adorably-messy bed head and perfect brown eyes, in between sips of coffee. I was the luckiest girl in the world. 

Cactus invasion 

After eating we went back to our cozy hotel room and leisurely alternated between watching the Food Network and getting ready for the next adventure; a hike with a packed picnic lunch. I'm not necessarily a hardcore nature-lover but this hike was gorgeous. It started almost desert like with cactus's sprawling all around but quickly transformed into a green wonderland with tiny streams and strong tangled trees. Midway out we stopped for our lunch of  ham and brie sandwich on a giant fallen tree. 

I'm King (Queen) of the wooorld

Admittedly the hike was longer than I expected. After lunch I was ready to head back but my brown-eyed boyfriend wanted to continue trekking. We didn't make it all the way to the top (and if we did I might of still been up there now considering how long - and how many falls - it took me to make my way down the slippery, downgrade portion of our hike) but still experienced an amazing view. (And had the opportunity to take an I'm King of the World picture.) 

This hike was probably the most exercise I've had in the past two months (yes, I'm sore today) so I felt good and ready for a shower after! Another round of Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives (while doing my makeup and brushing my hair) later and we were ready for a food crawl.* We walked to Cannery Row and majorly indulged in wings, beer, and onion strings. After carb-loading I was ready for lighter fair, so we walked in the brisk night to a restaurant on the ocean where we split a Cesar salad with grilled salmon. 

So chic 

Stomachs full, we made our way back to our little gem-hotel. Once there we decided to have a drink at the hotel bar. Here we spent the next 2 hours drinking a bottle of champagne and making friends with the bartender and the hotel owner. Many bubbles, laughs, and a shot of tequila (a couple also having a great vacation bought a round) later and we'd again concluded Hotel 1110 was a new favorite spot; for the decor and the hospitality. 

This morning, we enjoyed another intimate, delicious breakfast (this time of french toast and berries), packed and, sadly, checked-out. I was still bliss-ed out and found myself wanting to delay regular life some more. The basics like laundry and grocery shopping - time consuming tasks you try to do over the weekend to prepare yourself for a stress free work week - would have to wait. I wanted to prolong our vacation, even if it meant not getting my whites, dark's, and colors clean, folded, and put away. I didn't want this perfect weekend to end. I wanted to stay in it... even for a couple of hours... so, we decided to go to the beach. 

...But then we got coffee and there was traffic and I was hungry. Change of plans, we'll eat first and then go to the beach. Except the service was sloooow (and terrible!) at the place we decided to dine. My vacation buzz was wearing off and quickly being replaced by reality. My coffee no longer tasted good because the cinnamon I added didn't mix with the spicy salsa at the restaurant. I failed to realize the fish in my fish tacos came battered and fried until I bite into the greasiness. Time was passing and stress was stirring. My supposed-to-be-bonus-vacation-hours sucked... But the raspberry dressing on my salad was pretty good... and the sun felt nice... and I still had that beautiful boyfriend sitting across from me... trying to make me laugh... making me smile... so, it wasn't so bad... crunchy cod and all.

Love almost always,

Ashley  

*Most of the time when we are on vacations we'll do mini food crawls; we'll have drinks at one restaurant, appetizers at another, and entries at a third. 

Birthday Breakthrough

Today is my 24th birthday. It is also the day I decided to launch a new blog. I plan to stick with it for a least a year (but maybe longer..) in the hopes to connect, inspire, and engage with people during my pursuit to become stronger, healthier, and to remain happy.

If I was following “the plan” for this journey, I would have gotten my butt out of bed this morning to go for a run. (Some background info: running is not - I repeat not - my thing.) But I figured it would be a good place to both kick off my blog and my 24th year of life. 

...I figured it was a good idea until about 10pm last night. I was cozy in my bed watching Orange is the New Black and I knew, I just knew, there was no way I would be getting out of bed to start my (hopeful) love affair with running. But, in the spirit of optimism, I left alarm set for 6am. Obviously you already know when that sucker started blaring this AM, I shut.it.down., rolled over to cuddle with my boyfriend, and continued to snooze until it was time to get up for work.

I’m feeling a little guilty that I didn't just get up and go but, then again, it is my birthday, so screw it. I’ll start next week. (Do you see how I’m already formulating excuses?! This is another reason for this little blogster - I need to be held accountable!)

I really will start next week though. I've already purchased a Groupon for a boot camp with a co-worker. (Forking out some ca$h money annnd having someone relying on me to go will definitely help aid my procrastination… I just know it.) So, until I have some soreness (because, believe me, I will be sore!) to report, I will let you know about some COMING SOON attractions.

Sundays vs. Monday will show the differences between how wild the weekend can get (with no schedule and, on the rare occasion, not much to occupy your time… don’t we all eat a little more on the weekends?) and how (hopefully) Monday is an opportunity for redemption. I will record everything I eat on these two days to compare and contrast (but not to analyze, obsess, or ever feel guilty about) the very different eating habits (at least for me!) from a weekend day to a week day.

Sweaty n’ Smelly, I think, is pretty self-explanatory. Here I will share my working-out adventures (and probably cry a little bit along the way...) I already have a training session with a good friend set up and ready to be recorded for your entertainment. (Forewarning: I’ll be complaining. ..A lot.)

Sweet and Savory is where I will showcase some of my favorite healthy noshes. (If any of you foodie bloggers out there want to guest-blog… inbox me :)

This's and That's will be a collection of my opinions, random thoughts, and mental commentaries.

I hope you enjoy the journey!

Love almost always,

Ashley